Nature-Based Solutions & Re-Naturing Cities

An EU Research & Innovation (R&I) agenda on nature-based solutions is an essential component to greening the economy and achieving sustainable development. To contribute to the development of this R&I agenda, the Expert Group on 'Nature-Based Solutions and Re-Naturing Cities' was commissioned by the European Commission. Since the nature-based solutions concept is relatively new, the Expert Group developed an appropriate definition, before considering the opportunities for nature-based solutions.

Their final report published in 2015. Four principal goals have been identified that can be addressed by nature-based solutions:− Enhancing sustainable urbanisation through nature-based solutions can stimulate economic growth as well as improving the environment, making cities more attractive, andenhancing human well-being.− Restoring degraded ecosystems using nature-based solutions can improve the resilience of ecosystems, enabling them to deliver vital ecosystem services and also tomeet other societal challenges.− Developing climate change adaptation and mitigation using nature-based solutions can provide more resilient responses and enhance the storage of carbon.− Improving risk management and resilience using nature-based solutions can lead to greater benefits than conventional methods and offer synergies in reducing multiple risks.

Based on the four goals, seven nature-based solutions for R&I actions are recommended to be taken forward by the European Commission and Member States:− Urban regeneration through nature-based solutions− Nature-based solutions for improving well-being in urban areas− Establishing nature-based solutions for coastal resilience− Multi-functional nature-based watershed management and ecosystem restoration− Nature-based solutions for increasing the sustainability of the use of matter and energy− Nature-based solutions for enhancing the insurance value of ecosystems− Increasing carbon sequestration through nature-based solutions

This report was produced by the Horizon 2020 Expert Group on 'Nature-Based Solutions and Re-Naturing Cities', informed by the findings of an e-consultation and a stakeholder workshop.

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